A Surprise Ending
by hope2x
Summary: Small one shot. When casting her curse, the Evil Queen decides to ensure no one will ever be able to ruin her happy ending. Things don't go as expected.


**A/N: This has been sitting on my computer for an incredibly long time unfinished, so I figured I'd add some and post. Small little one shot, set when Regina is casting the original curse. (not really edited yet)**

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><p>The Queen smirked devilishly as she stepped around the frightened couple. She circled them slowly, taking joy in every shiver and flinch of apprehension. She moved back to face them, lifting an eyebrow at the constant look of defiance behind the challenging green eyes of her long time enemy.<p>

"You lose Snow." She said softly, but with only happiness.

"No! Not this time Regina! You won't find her." She smiled despite her fear and the tears slipping down her face. "We sent her away and she will save us. Thirty years from now, she will save us." The younger woman stepped slightly out of her husbands protective hold.

"Is that so?"

"Yes!" The Prince's voice boomed despite his injured state. He held himself tall and his gaze didn't waiver.

"Oh you foolish people!" The Queen exclaimed, confusing the couple with her undiminished joy. "You think I didn't know of your plan? To send the precious savior through your portal?" She loved the fear flashing across their faces again.

"Well you are still too late!" Snow didn't back down and Regina gave her a pitying look.

"Oh no, my dear. I considered showing up and simply killing the girl. But then I had a change of heart." She paused as she began her pacing again. "No I had a better idea. I know you plan on her showing up one day to break you of the curse I shall place you all under. But I will not let that happen. Would you like to no how?" She asked and glanced their way.

"You can't stop her, she's already gone. You won't know her when she returns." Snow spoke again, trying not to show her concern at Regina's confident tone.

"Oh I won't need to. Because she won't be there." She paused and made sure she had their attention. "She'll be here."

"That's not possible-"

"Oh my dear, do hush." She said, flicking her wrist in their direction. Immediately, the couple grabbed at their throats realizing they could no longer make a sound. They tried to take a step forward, only to realize they were held back by magic. "It is in fact, completely possible. I'm simply going to bring the savior back here. But, I'm going to take her from the future. Just so I know that you will meet her one day. You will meet your daughter, and just when it's her time to save you all, she'll be sucked through a portal back here, where she can be killed by me…now.

"You see? It's so wonderful. She can do nothing to stop me here, with my magic. Thirty years from now, you said? When she comes to threaten all I have, I can know that it is by my very hand that she will be killed. Yet I can't be blamed, as you will remember none of this. Such a beautiful fate, no?" She smiled wickedly, turning back to face the stunned parents.

"Now please watch. It's much more fun for me to see you watch your only hope die here in front of you. I'd like you to go into this curse feeling nothing but anguish and sorrow." She spoke in such a casual tone, it made the others sick.

Regina waved her hand, conjuring a large full length mirror in front of her. She pulled the book she had brought along as well and opened to the correct page. She turned back again to smile at her former step-daughter.

"Ready to meet your little girl?" She laughed joyfully before blowing the page in front of the mirror, muttering an additional incantation to direct the magic to the right time and place, amazed at her enemies foolishness for revealing that to her willingly.

"Watch. Are you watching?" She said to the parents, both holding each other, still forced to remain silent by the Queen's magic.

Regina was wide eyed with child-like excitement as the portal swirled with magic building for another moment before a small explosion erupted. Regina was breathing heavy as suddenly, a woman launched through the mirror, falling unceremoniously onto the stone ground by her feet. Before another second, another smaller body flew through as well, landing right on top of the blonde with a grunt. Regina looked straight down at them in wonder.

The woman had long, beautiful hair. She wore leather like material as a jacket and boots, and an unfamiliar material around her slim, yet strong looking legs. Regina's eyes raked over the slumped form as the girl on the ground started shifting and groaned.

The smaller person was in fact a young boy. He seemed to be regaining himself slightly quicker, trying to get up off the body below him.

"Emma?!" He said and the blonde groaned again. Regina watched them without a sound, too enthralled to look away.

Regina didn't notice the Charming couple screaming silently, trying desperately to move against whatever magical bindings held them. Snow had tears streaming openly now as she looked between the Evil Queen and her daughter, now suddenly a full grown adult.

The blonde woman leaned up on all fours for a second, trying to shake her head from the temporary blackout. She took a second before getting her feet under her and finally making it to a standing position. The leather clad woman blinked a few times, looking down at the boy and placing her hands on his shoulders before starting to turn slowly.

Regina was vibrating in her excitement. She managed to hold still as the other woman started moving, waiting anxiously for their eyes to finally meet. The second she caught sight of bright green though, she faltered. It was just a split second that she felt an odd tugging, but then she shook the thought away and refocused. The blonde was wide eyed and Regina was opening her mouth to start when-

"Mom?"

Regina's jaw fell completely open as, to her complete and total shock, the boy leaned in and wrapped his arms around her in a surprisingly tight hug. She was completely stunned, unable to move at all. She would have thought things couldn't get any crazier, until-

"Oh Regina, thank God."

The Queen was still reeling from the hug from the boy before the blonde leaned in and grabbed her around the shoulders. She was immobile as the other two held her from two sides. She wasn't even sure if she was breathing. When the blonde pulled back, Regina's eyes were still wide.

"Babe, I swear to God I was not playing with your spell books again. I learned my lesson the first time." The younger woman insisted, looking pleadingly at Regina. "This wasn't me." She stated as she looked around the room hesitantly, her angle keep the couple in the room temporarily out of sight.

"Mom, what happened?" The boy pulled back to look at her, his eyes briefly taking in her own attire before meeting her gaze again. "And what are you wearing?" He asked and Emma swallowed hard. Her eyes didn't miss the display in front of her.

"I…I…" Regina just kept moving her eyes from one to the other, unable to comprehend the situation.

"Regina?" Emma placed a hand on her shoulder, giving it a small squeeze. "Are you okay? Do you know how we got here?" She asked gently.

"I…brought you here." She finished quietly.

"You brought us to the enchanted forest? Why?" Emma questioned, her eyebrows together in her confusion.

"To kill you." She narrowed her eyes on the blonde, trying to regain her focus on the mission. She took a step forward and raised a hand, though she faltered when the blonde let out a laugh.

"Yeah, okay." To Regina's shock, Emma leaned in and placed a kiss on her cheek. Regina remained frozen as she pulled back. "No seriously. How'd we get here?"

"Um…Emma? Mom?" The boy's eyes were concerned as he stepped around the room.

"What is it, Henry?" Emma asked and Regina's eyes snapped up.

"Henry." She breathed, but the boy didn't lose his focus. Emma saw what he was referring too quickly.

"Mom? Dad?" She ran across to the back corner and lifted her hands. Snow and James were still yelling silently, eyes wide and filled with tears. Emma reached out and as her hand almost touched her mother, it hit an invisible wall, sending a bolt of energy through her.

"Emma?!" Snow yelled, startled when the sound rang out. She took a cautionary step forward and smiled as the barrier was gone. "Emma, my darling." She reached out and took the blonde into her arms, though Emma stayed a little rigid. James was nearly crying as well as he wrapped his arms around them. Henry looked curiously over at Regina, who had kept her eyes on him the whole time.

"Mom?" He asked and she approached him slowly.

"You're really my son?" She whispered, a hand coming to touch his cheek. Henry allowed it, but his eyes were wary. He looked around the room again, slower this time.

"Emma?" He called out. The blonde had her own confused expression as she pulled away from her parents.

"Yeah?" She walked back over to them. Henry stepped away from Regina and pulled on Emma's hand to get her to step to the side. "What is it?"

"Does any of this look familiar to you?" He asked and she knelt down beside him.

"It's my room. I mean, I came in here with Mary Margaret after we fell through the portal the first time." She shrugged.

"Not just the place. Look at their outfits."

"I am." Emma smiled as she glanced at Regina who rose an eyebrow. Henry elbowed her in the stomach. "Sorry, what about them?"

"My book. The curse." He looked intently at Emma. She tilted her head before regarding the room again. Standing slowly, she took a few steps forward. "What do you see?" He asked carefully. Emma turned slowly. She looked at her parents and paused to really see their attire. She did the same to Regina who was looking between her and Henry again, her expression confused and disbelieving.

"It's…it's-"

"Almost exactly from the book." Henry finished.

"Shit." Emma breathed out. She shook her head slowly until she turned back to Henry. "We gotta go." She stepped towards him and placed a hand on his shoulder. Her parents and Regina all stepped forward.

"Emma." Snow walked the rest of the way to her and lifted a hand to her cheek. "Emma…"

"Look I'm…I'm sorry. I don't know _what_ happened, but we shouldn't be here. Regina," She stepped to the side to see the brunette. "Hey, you gotta send us back."

"No." The Queen walked closer towards them, her eyes still going between the two new comers. Emma moved to step to her, but Snow grabbed her arm.

"Emma, no. She's dangerous, you must run. Run from here!" She spoke urgently but Emma just stared for a few seconds. She tapped Snow's hands and gave her a small smile.

"It's fine. Trust me." She nodded and removed her mother's hand and ignored her bewildered expression as she moved around her. "Regina, listen to me-"

"No. I don't know who you think you are, but you will not take my happy ending!"

"You're right. I won't take that from you. I promise." She looked into the Queen's eyes, seeing the conflict clearly. "But to get your happy ending, you need to send us back. You can't change what's happened." She said gently.

"Why not?" She challenged, not appreciating being told what she couldn't do. Emma moved over next to her and turned back to face the others.

"See that kid?" She asked and then glanced at Regina. Regina had barely been able to take her eyes off him. "You really want to miss out on your son? If you don't cast the curse, he'll never be born. You'll never hold your baby in your arms. You'll never get to watch him grow. You'll never have your son…your baby boy. You _have_ to cast the curse, Regina."

Regina stared at the boy in front of her. Such innocent and hopeful eyes, filled with something else Regina hadn't seen in a long time.

Love.

This child…_her _child, was staring at her with such love that the warmth covering the Queen was nearly overwhelming. She had to look away momentarily to catch her breath.

"Regina?"

That voice. Her same said so softly and with that same emotion lacking so severely in her own life. It was making her head spin.

Regina couldn't look into those eyes again. Green like her mother's and loving like she'd seen so many years earlier. Regina couldn't handle it. Not now, not when she had a mission to complete.

She didn't look into those eyes again. She directed the new woman and her child back towards the center of the room with a motion of her hand. She couldn't help but to glance at the child again and against her normal behavior, spared a small but more genuine smile.

When he smiled back, there was a small flair of excitement. In the midst of this rather chaotic moment, Regina felt a different kind of hope than the one moments earlier. This was somehow more real…more exhilarating.

So she smiled again. She resisted the urge to hold these other two here and keep them locked within her castle walls. The urge was strong but the words Emma spoke of holding her baby boy…of _Henry…_that's what kept her on track as she reversed the spell. Thinking of baby Henry and the woman who was supposed to defeat her but somehow comes to look at her with the love that was taken so long ago instead…that's what allowed her to watch the others disappear from sight without sadness and realizing just who they were was what had her turning back to the other couple in the room with an even deeper and more sinister smirk that before.

"Well well well…you didn't mention how cute she was. It looks like I'll be getting your happy ending after all." Regina laughed at the horror crossing Snow's face. James looked two seconds from passing out and Regina knew those were _exactly_ the expressions she wanted to see going into her curse.

She was finally going to get her happy ending. She was finally going to win.

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><p><strong>THE END :)<strong>


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